Shows
Experience Better: The CX PodcastNavigating Outages and Driving Sustainability: A Roadmap for UtilitiesExplore how utilities can enhance communication, build trust, and engage customers more effectively during crises and beyond with Part Two of this intriguing discussion with experts from Chartwell Inc. Shaun Jackson, Senior Vice President of Marketing at KUBRA, hosts this discussion, featuring special guests Steve Waters, Director of Councils, and Casey Collins, Senior Research Analyst.
This engaging episode examines actionable strategies for improving outage communication, fostering sustainability engagement, and evolving the utility-customer relationship from a service provider to a trusted advisor. This episode showcases best practices and innovative ideas for utilities to strengthen customer connections, from leveraging...2025-05-0730 minExperience Better: The CX PodcastThe Trust Factor: Building Better Utility-Customer RelationshipsGet ready as we unlock the secrets of modern utility customer relationships with exclusive insights from Chartwell's 2024 Residential Consumer Survey. Steve Waters, Director of Councils, and Casey Collins, Senior Research Analyst at Chartwell Inc., reveal how utilities can transform customer insights into meaningful action that builds authentic relationships.
Explore the diverse needs of your customer base – from young professionals to established households – and understand how their financial realities shape energy choices. Learn what drives customer trust and loyalty across different demographics, and why personalized engagement matters more than ever.
Join us for a practical discussion on w...2025-03-2028 minExperience Better: The CX PodcastBreaking Down Payment Technology Trends for 2025Join host Shaun Jackson, Senior Vice President of Marketing at KUBRA, for an insightful exploration of the evolving payments landscape. Drawing from KUBRA's extensive consumer research, this episode delves into the current state of bill payment experiences and emerging trends shaping the future of payments.
Discover why traditional payment methods like debit and credit cards remain dominant while digital wallets gain momentum. Learn about the growing interest in real-time payments and the complex dynamics of buy now, pay later services in the bill payment space. The episode also examines consumer attitudes toward cryptocurrency payments and the crucial...2024-12-1614 minExperience Better: The CX PodcastConnected in Crisis: Adapting Communication Strategies for Today's Weather ChallengesExtreme weather events are wreaking havoc on utilities and the communities they serve. In this insightful podcast, Lemuel Satamkar, Senior Product Marketing Manager at KUBRA shares strategies for effective crisis communication with host Shaun Jackson, Senior Vice President of Marketing at KUBRA. Learn how leading providers are leveraging advanced technologies and data to keep customers informed and build resilience. Don't miss this essential discussion on the future of utility crisis response,
2024-11-0630 minExperience Better: The CX PodcastSay Goodbye to Late PaymentsIn this episode of the podcast hosted by Shaun Jackson, Senior Vice President of Marketing at KUBRA, the focus is on managing late payments for utilities and billers. Joined by Cali Johnston, Senior Product Marketing Manager at KUBRA, they highlight why managing late payments is essential for cash flow and customer relationships. They delve into strategies such as offering a frictionless payment experience and flexible billing options to prevent late payments. The discussion also covers personalized communication and advanced analytics to swiftly collect late payments and improve customer engagement.
Tune in to uncover essential strategies and insights...2024-08-0816 minExperience Better: The CX PodcastFrom Innovation to Execution: Transforming CX with Utility Mobile AppsJoin us on the latest episode of "Experience Better: The CX Podcast," where we explore the dynamic world of mobile app technology in the utility sector. Our guest, Erind Shkurti, Director of Client Solutions and Mobile Apps at KUBRA, shares his invaluable insights on increasing user engagement and the impact of mobile innovation on customer interactions. Dive into topics such as the balance of convenience and security, the adoption challenges utilities face, and why staying current in the mobile space is crucial for a frictionless customer experience. Whether you're a utility professional or a tech enthusiast, this episode offers...2024-06-0545 minExperience Better: The CX PodcastNavigating the New Era of Payments in 2024In this episode, we delve into six digital payment trends that are shaping the future of customer payment experiences.
Join us as we uncover how personalization in payments is becoming a game-changer for consumer satisfaction and the significance of adopting flexible digital wallets in response to evolving customer preferences. We also investigate the surge in popularity of real-time payment processing, the nuances of integrating Buy Now and Pay Later options for billers, and the future of Request for Payment tools in immediate transaction settlements.
We'll also address the critical topic of enhancing security measures to p...2024-04-2320 minExperience Better: The CX PodcastCall Volume Down, Customer Happiness UpIn this episode, we explore six transformative strategies for utilities to reduce call center volume drastically while significantly improving customer satisfaction.
Our conversation starts with the benefits of empowering clients through comprehensive self-service portals, the advantages of implementing AI chatbots, and the impact of clear and well-designed billing. We'll also discuss the necessity for proactive outage communication, the efficiency of natural language IVR systems, and the convenience that comes with offering multiple payment methods.
Tune in to learn how these innovative approaches are reshaping the utility sector for the better by streamlining customer experiences.
2024-03-1809 minExperience Better: The CX PodcastUnpacking CX - Celebrating 5K StreamsIn late 2019, KUBRA released its first episode of Experience Better - the CX Podcast. The podcast’s goal was to share success stories, research and interviews with CX leaders with the hope to help organizations deliver better customer experiences. Four years and 36 episodes later, the podcast has hit a new milestone of 5,000 streams! In this time, we’ve had a variety of CX leaders talk on a diverse range of topics - from developing human-centric design through customer empathy to the effect of clean energy transition on CX.
In this episode, we will look back at ou...2023-12-1822 minExperience Better: The CX PodcastUnpacking AMEX’s Membership Value for Merchants and UtilitiesWelcome to another insightful episode of Experience Better: The CX PodcastTM. In this edition, we have a special guest joining us, Erin Sweatman, Vice President, US Merchant Marketing at American Express, gives us the inside scoop of how this global payments leader consistently delivers exceptional customer service to its valued customers worldwide.
2023-10-2014 minExperience Better: The CX PodcastThe Eight Tenets of Customer ExperienceBeing able to deliver a positive customer experience has a significant upside for businesses. It can result in increased customer loyalty, repeat business, positive word-of-mouth referrals, and even higher lifetime customer value. All of these have the potential to benefit a business’ bottomline. According to a study by PwC, 73% of customers cite customer experience as an important factor in their purchasing decisions. By prioritizing customer experience, businesses can differentiate themselves from their competitors, build stronger relationships with their customers, and ultimately, achieve long-term success.
In this episode, Arun Kanagasabapathy, Vice President of Central Services at Rel...2023-07-1422 minExperience Better: The CX PodcastMastercard improves CX by enabling bill payments directly through banksIn February of 2021, our partners from Mastercard joined us to chat about their Enhanced Bank Bill Pay Solution, Mastercard Bill Pay Exchange. Through Mastercard Bill Pay Exchange, consumers can easily pay their bills directly from their bank accounts and provide a better bill pay experience for banks, billers, and consumers. Through this solution, Mastercard has made the bill pay experience more transparent, simple, and consistent by removing a key pain point for consumers who are increasingly moving to mobile-first payment solutions.
On this episode, Bill DeSimone, Vice President of Bill Pay at Mastercard, joins us t...2023-04-0425 minExperience Better: The CX PodcastCX and Utility Trends to Watch for This YearIn 2022, we had an amazing group of industry experts join us to talk about what’s new in the world of customer experience. During the year, we discussed a wide range of topics - from the latest and greatest in the payments industry to how the clean energy transition may affect customer experience. In these episodes, our guests shared insight on some trends to look out for in the years to come. For our first episode in 2023, we’ll be sharing some of our guests’ insights and highlighting these trends to look out for in the years to come.
...2023-01-3016 minExperience Better: The CX PodcastInnovation in Payments - Options for Billers and PayersPayment experiences have certainly changed over the past few decades. Innovative technology and evolving consumer expectations have transformed how we pay for goods and services. Cash, check, and credit card used to be the go-to payment methods for consumers, but they’re not the norm for most these days.
In this episode of Experience Better, we talk to Ben Murphy, Director of Strategy and Transformation at KUBRA, about what’s new in the world of payments.
2022-11-2126 minExperience Better: The CX PodcastMore Consumers Are Considering Digital Wallets for Bill PaymentsConsumers’ use and appetite for digital payments are growing, and with that comes the expectation that they should be able to pay their bills the same way they do other products and services. As digital wallets continue to make their way into the mainstream, demand is expected to rise. In 2022, nearly seven in 10 consumers used a digital wallet, and a significant percentage of these individuals used more than one digital wallet to make payments. More than half of consumers indicated they would consider using digital wallets for bill payments in the future.
In this episode of...2022-09-2029 minExperience Better: The CX PodcastThe Effect of Clean Energy Transition on CXRenewable energy and sustainable practices have become key considerations for consumers who are becoming more aware of their energy consumption and how that impacts climate change. On this episode, Francis Bradley, President and CEO of Electricity Canada, joins us to chat about the energy transition and how that could affect the customer experience for the years to come.
2022-07-2623 minExperience Better: The CX PodcastWater Analytics Are Essential for Elevating the Customer ExperienceWith growing interest from consumers to reduce the amount of water they use, access to personal data and analytics about water usage has quickly become an essential ingredient to providing an exceptional customer experience. In this episode of Experience Better: The CX Podcast, we talk to Robb Barnitt, Founder of Dropcountr and Vice President, Market Development at KUBRA, as he explains how providing access to water analytics helps customers make better decisions
2022-05-2027 minExperience Better: The CX PodcastThe Future of Payments - Part IIPayment experiences have certainly changed over the past few years. Cash, check, and credit card used to be the go-to payment methods for consumers, but they’re not the norm for most these days. Innovative technology and changing consumer expectations have transformed how we pay for goods and services. Last month, in the first installment of this two-part episode, Steve Ryan, Principal Product Manager for Payments at KUBRA talked about customer expectations and hot payment trends like the demand for frictionless payment experiences and digital wallets. In this episode, we join Steve again as he discusses artificial intelligence payment ch...2022-03-2125 minExperience Better: The CX PodcastThe Future of Payments - Part IIt is no secret that the pandemic is impacting behaviors across the globe. But what type of imprint has it left on the payments space for both billers and their customers? In this two-part podcast on “the future of payments”, Steve Ryan, Principal Product Manager for Payments at KUBRA, will discuss how COVID-19 has changed customer behaviors and what payment trends they are demanding and expecting
2022-02-2217 minExperience Better: The CX PodcastUsing Personas to Gain a Better Understanding of the Customer JourneyFinding the time and resources to thoroughly understand the customer journey can be difficult, but it has been shown to pay significant dividends to businesses that make the effort. Namely, the better you understand customer expectations, the easier it is to tailor the customer experience to meet their specific needs. In this episode of Experience Better: The CX Podcast, Malina Kaija, Co-Founder of theturnlab, explains how to build a customer-centric business and create customer personas.
2022-01-1819 minExperience Better: The CX PodcastWrapping Up the Year with Our Most Popular Podcast Episodes of 2021In our final installment of Experience Better: The CX Podcast™ for 2021, we share highlights from some of your favorite episodes. We cover everything from the importance of learning about the unique wants of needs of each generation to how business intelligence helps companies optimize performance, predict success, and identify market trends. The episode also explains how bill concierge services benefit businesses and individuals and what Mastercard is doing to drive innovation with its Mastercard BPX solution.
2021-12-1617 minExperience Better: The CX PodcastUsing “Voice of the Customer” Research to Improve CXImproving CX doesn’t just happen in a vacuum because there’s no one-size-fits-all answer for what customers prefer or how they behave. You might think you know what is best for customers but how can you truly be sure without going straight to the source? That’s why we are talking with Schmidt Market Research about the role customer research plays in improving customer experiences at top-performing companies. Joining us on the podcast today is Michael Everhart, Vice President, and Rebecca DeFazio, Senior Research Manager at Schmidt Market Research.
2021-11-1625 minExperience Better: The CX PodcastUsing “Voice of the Customer” Research to Improve CXImproving CX doesn’t just happen in a vacuum because there’s no one-size-fits-all answer for what customers prefer or how they behave. You might think you know what is best for customers but how can you truly be sure without going straight to the source? That’s why we are talking with Schmidt Market Research about the role customer research plays in improving customer experiences at top-performing companies. Joining us on the podcast today is Michael Everhart, Vice President, and Rebecca DeFazio, Senior Research Manager at Schmidt Market Research2021-11-1625 minExperience Better: The CX PodcastDigital Wallets Are the Future of Payments and All About CXPaying bills certainly doesn’t top many people’s list of favorite things to do. At best it’s a hassle– at worst, it’s an extremely stressful exercise. You can take some of the pain away by offering payment solutions that make it as quick and easy for your customers to pay their bills as possible. Digital wallets do just that. They’re a convenient, easy, and secure way to pay, giving customers those truly on-the-go payment experiences they’re looking for. In this episode of Experience Better, we talk to Yara Alatshan, Product Marketing Manager at KUBRA, to tell us all...2021-10-1921 minExperience Better: The CX PodcastImproving CX for Seniors with Concierge ServicesManaging and paying bills can be a source of stress for all of us. For the elderly and their caretakers, it can be even more challenging to keep track of all the bills coming in and navigating new payment technologies to pay them. Not to mention, seniors are more vulnerable to fraud and scams. In this episode of Experience Better, we talk to Marci Esrig, Founder, CEO and General Counsel at Silverbills, to understand how concierge services like hers can help this demographic and others better manage their bills, detect fraudulent charges, and protect against overpaying.
2021-09-2221 minExperience Better: The CX PodcastThe Importance of Providing Innovative Solutions to Cash-Paying CustomersWhile many consumers have embraced digital payment methods, there are still some customers who prefer cash. Who are they, why do they still like cash, and what can utilities do to help these customers? In this episode of Experience Better: The CX Podcast, we speak with Regina Cullado, Customer Service Manager at Golden State Water, to learn more about what they have done to meet the needs of their cash-paying customers.
2021-08-2420 minExperience Better: The CX PodcastThe Top Citizen Billing and Payment Trends of 2021Paying taxes, parking tickets, and fines for overdue library books is not fun. Having to jump through hoops to make those payments really just adds insult to injury! Pile on the fact that consumers enjoy a wealth of digital payment options for almost all other products or services, you can see why citizen frustration is rising and their satisfaction waning.
In fact, KUBRA research found that citizen payment experiences have remained the same or gotten slightly worse in the last two years. This not only shows that there’s lots of room for improvement, but also tha...2021-07-2024 minExperience Better: The CX PodcastGen Z to Baby Boomers: What The Generations Expect from YouGen Z, Millennials, Gen X, and Baby Boomers. We hear about them all the time, but who are they really and what are their customer expectations? In this episode of Experience Better, we sit down with Shaun Jackson, SVP, Marketing at KUBRA, to break down the wants and needs of each generation—including their communication preferences, billing and payment needs, personalization expectations, and willingness to adopt new trends.
2021-06-2429 minExperience Better: The CX PodcastHow Business Intelligence Improves CXCompanies have more data at their disposal than ever before. The question is, are they using it to improve the customer experience? This wealth of information can provide organizations with untold insights into customers, as long as they know how to apply it correctly. In this episode, we sit down with Anthony Mancini, Manager, Customer Success at KUBRA to discuss what business intelligence is and how it can improve the customer experience for all organizations.
2021-05-2729 minExperience Better: The CX PodcastWhy CX Should Matter to Government AgenciesCompeting with Amazon, Netflix, or Zillow isn’t easy, but that’s exactly what government agencies are having to do these days. Sort of. You see, now that citizens are used to receiving exceptional customer experience (CX) from private companies, they expect that kind of service all the time, even from their government agencies. Government agencies are starting to take notice, incorporating CX into their overall mission and devoting resources to improving citizen experiences. In this episode of Experience Better, we sit down with Richard Pickering, National Executive at KUBRA, to discuss why CX should matter to government agencies.
2021-04-1520 minExperience Better: The CX PodcastWho is Pre-Pay Customer & How Do They Benefit?Pre-pay energy solutions allow utility customers to add money to their utility account before energy is used. As the power is consumed, the pre-paid balance declines. Pre-pay appeals to diverse groups of people for a variety of reasons. In this episode of Experience Better, we interview Lauren Papagalos, Product Marketing Manager at KUBRA, to discuss who primarily benefits from pre-pay and why.
2021-03-2325 minExperience Better: The CX PodcastMastercard's Way to Improving the Bill Pay ExperienceConsumers’ bill pay behaviors have changed drastically and rapidly over the past years, moving away from paper payments to electronic. And bank websites are leading the pack - in fact, 54% of consumers prefer to use their bank website to make bill payments, compared to the 14% of consumers who prefer mailed paper bills, according to the 2020 KUBRA Billing and Payment Report. While this percentage will continue to grow, consumers also expect more improvement and innovation from their bill payment channels, including the bank bill pay. In this episode of Experience Better, we interview Manal Toukan, Senior Vice President, Bill Pay at...2021-02-1625 minExperience Better: The CX PodcastUnderstanding Consumer Bill PreferencesKUBRA released a new consumer report that sheds light on what billers are getting right and where there’s room for improvement when it comes to their bills. We’re sharing these findings to give billers a better understanding of current consumer bill preferences. Tune in to our latest episode as we discuss how consumers prefer to receive their utility bills, as well as the most important information to include on your customers’ statements.
2021-01-2623 minExperience Better: The CX PodcastPreparing Utilities for 2021 - Life After the PandemicIt goes without saying that 2020 has been a doozy that has left us all wondering, what’s in store for us next? In this episode of Experience Better: The CX Podcast™, we discuss top consumer trends that emerged in 2020, the lessons we’ve learned, and how utilities can move forward in the new year. Join Braden Short, Senior Vice President of Sales and Client Success at KUBRA, as he helps prepare utilities for the new normal in 2021 and beyond.
2020-12-1621 minExperience Better: The CX PodcastGeorgia Power’s Guide to Outage CommunicationsIf you’re in the utility business, you know your customers are looking for clear, accurate, and quick communications during a power outage. In this episode of Experience Better: The CX Podcast™, we interview John Zumbado, Senior Engineer at Georgia Power, to reveal how consistent and proactive outage communications can be the difference-maker when it comes to happy and informed customers.
2020-10-2734 minExperience Better: The CX PodcastIs Pre-Pay the Way in Uncertain Times?Amid the coronavirus pandemic, it’s more important now than ever for utilities to cater to their customers’ unpredictable and evolving needs. Pre-pay energy options that allow customers to pay only for the energy they want and need could be the answer. Tune in to our latest episode as we interview Jamie Wimberly, CEO at DEFG, a management consulting firm specializing in energy, about what pre-pay energy is and why it's a critical payment option in today’s uncertain landscape.
2020-09-2230 minExperience Better: The CX PodcastAchieving 50% E-Bill Adoption with the City of SacramentoSacramento is the fastest-growing major city in California. As the capital city of California, Sacramento is uniquely positioned to test, advance, and use emerging technology to better understand and serve the needs of its citizens. In this episode of Experience Better, we are speaking to a panel of customer service experts from the City of Sacramento Department of Utilities. We will discuss their experience and best practices for reaching their e-bill adoption goals and enhancing the bill delivery experience for their customers.
2020-08-1935 minExperience Better: The CX PodcastCreating Disney-Inspired Magical ExperiencesDisney is one of the world’s most iconic brands. The company has spent decades building an extremely loyal following, maintaining an outstanding reputation, and creating magical experiences. However, Disney’s wild success did not come from magic, it is a result of tried-and-true strategies carried out by the entire organization. In this episode of Experience Better, we interview Lenn Millbower, consultant, trainer, keynote speaker, and former Disney employee, to discuss the effective methods behind Disney’s magical customer experiences. Visit www.KUBRA.com for more customer experience tips.
2020-07-2030 minExperience Better: The CX PodcastInnovative Payments: A Key to Customer SatisfactionAs utilities focus on improving the customer experience and outreach, oftentimes the conversation of payment innovation arises. So who are the real winners when it comes to adding payment channels like Amazon Alexa, Facebook Messenger, text message, and others to a payment mix? In this episode, we discuss top payment trends that tap into customer expectations for 2020 and how leveraging artificial intelligence empowers customers to pay their bills.
2020-06-1729 minExperience Better: The CX PodcastTips for Marketing Your CXUtilities spend a lot of time, money, and effort in offering tools that help improve customer communications and the overall customer experience. But do their customers even know these tools exist? Research suggests that often times they don’t. In this episode, we provide simple and effective ways you can start marketing your offerings to help boost ROI and customer satisfaction.
2020-05-1228 minExperience Better: The CX PodcastDeveloping Human-Centered Design Through Customer EmpathyThe utility industry has changed tremendously over the past 20 years—and the utility customer has changed along with it. How can utilities keep up with the times? We asked market research and CX expert, Bill LeBlanc, to discuss how design thinking, customer empathy, and disruption play a key role. Tune in to learn how you can shape your company’s future through better CX.
2020-04-1435 minExperience Better: The CX PodcastWhy Print and Mail Still MattersIs the need for print communications really disappearing? Not if you ask all of your customers. For some, printed bills are a crucial touchpoint with their providers and still deserve your attention. Join us as we take a step back to assess print and mail and why organizations should still save a place for this, so-called, old-fashioned channel in their customer experience strategy.
2020-03-1223 minExperience Better: The CX PodcastThe Power of Billing & Payment ChoicesCustomers list billing among the top four factors that drive their satisfaction with a company and JD Power studies have revealed that billing and payment factors can account for 20% or more of total customer satisfaction. This episode explores how more choice in billing and payments allows you to satisfy the various customer types you serve and drive up the overall customer experience.
2020-02-1027 minExperience Better: The CX PodcastChartwell’s 2020 CX TrendsIt’s 2020 and customer experience is more important now than ever. As customer expectations continue to evolve, how can organizations keep up in the new year? To kick-start 2020, we sat down with customer experience expert Scott Johnson, Vice President of Chartwell, to dig into the top CX trends you should be ready for in 2020. From billing and payments, to service interruptions, to emerging technologies, we’re covering everything you need to know to raise the customer experience bar in the new year.
2020-01-2727 minExperience Better: The CX PodcastWhy Chatbots Are the Future of CXIn this episode of Experience Better: The CX Podcast™, we delve into the world of artificial intelligence and natural language processing to help you understand the important role chatbots are playing in improving customer experience.
2019-12-1828 minExperience Better: The CX PodcastHow UX Impacts CXDesign is more than an aesthetic necessity, it’s good business. In fact, 91% of design-led companies say design is critical to their customer experience strategy. This episode explores how your design decisions—from your website to your products—influence your customers’ behaviors, opinions, and experiences.
2019-11-1924 minExperience Better: The CX PodcastCX Worth MentioningIf you think creating a memorable customer experience is hard, you’re not alone. Big brands like Amazon have set the bar high with ultra-speedy and responsive service. Lucky for you, going above and beyond doesn’t always mean setting unrealistic expectations. Join us for our kick-off episode as we uncover why CX matters and how a little creativity and thoughtfulness go a long way in providing stellar customer experience.
2019-09-2822 minExperience Better: The CX PodcastIntroducing Experience Better: The CX PodcastExperience Better: The CX Podcast delivers customer success stories, interviews, research, and more. Tune in monthly as we uncover the secrets behind great customer experience.
2019-09-2700 min